The Big Book highlights examples of gold standard clinical practice within the fields of mental health, physical health and learning disability services, and has been nominated in the Communications Initiative category of the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Value Awards.

Sheena Cumiskey, CWP chief executive, said: “I’m delighted our Big Book of Best Practice has been shortlisted for a HSJ Value Award. Much more than simply recognition of achievement, the book is a way for us to share these successes not just across our footprint of Cheshire and Wirral, but also with colleagues across the wider NHS and beyond. It encourages us all to break down organisational and geographical barriers and embrace a meaningful, universal culture of learning.”

HSJ Value Awards seek to recognise and reward outstanding efficiency, improvements in patient care and reduction in unwarranted variation. Our Big Book of Best Practice enables colleagues from across a large geographical footprint share ideas and implement best practice approaches inspired by other colleagues.

Since publication in October, the 2018/19 edition has been downloaded over 4000 times, with 500 physical copies being shared among local healthcare staff, people accessing services, their carers and families.

Examples of best practice featured in this year’s book include:

The introduction of Lived Experience Connectors across Cheshire and Wirral to support person-centred development in Trainee Nursing Associates

The launch of a new self-management model to community nursing in Broxton that strengthens relationships with the local community and provides a more person centred response to care needs;

The creation of a Child and Adolescent Mental Health advice line open to anyone in the community who would like support regarding a child or young person’s mental health.

The Emotionally Healthy Schools programme supporting schools with their response to young people’s mental wellbeing by training staff to appropriately discuss troubles and anxieties so they can be addressed before they impact on the child’s health and wellbeing

Sheena continued: “Within this book there are many examples of pioneering service delivery that have the potential to improve people’s experiences up and down the country – we now just need to get it into the right hands.”

Describing the Big Book of Best Practice, Shadow Health Minister MP Justin Madders added: “The Big Book is an extremely important innovation, which enables best practice to be shared within the organisation and with the wider NHS. It is clear how staff have embraced it as a way of sharing their innovative work and improvements.”